When Rene Hanebutt moved to Bowie in eighth grade, other girls quickly took notice of her work ethic – and love of basketball.
It was at that moment, a group of girls set a goal to win a state championship.
In 1995, that dream was realized as the Lady Rabbits downed Dripping Springs 65-50 in the Conference 3A final.
“My dad (David) was a coach, and my grandfather (Elmer) was a coach,” Hanebutt said in a telephone interview Thursday – chatting all the way from Illinois. “I always had the Larry Bird mentality.”
Hanebutt’s family taught her the value of outworking the opponent. Rene’s father, David, was Bowie’s boys coach. Elmer Hanebutt was head coach at Texas Wesleyan in Fort Worth.
One week ago, Bowie celebrated the 1995 state champions with a special reception and ceremony – and it proved to be a fitting honor for a special group of women.
“It was a fabulous thing to be a part of,” said Mendy Stark Jones, who played a wing on the team.
Stark Jones said she was pleased to see the large number of Bowie fans in attendance for the event.
“Bowie supports its kids in everything they do,” she said. Read more of this column in the Feb. 6 Bowie News.

Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.

The Conference 3A 1995 state championship Bowie girls’ basketball team poses with the current squad for a photo before last Friday’s District 3A-9 game against Paradise. The Lady Rabbits defeated Dripping Springs for the 3A crown. (News photo by Eric Viccaro)